The Rainbow Connection
by a. loquita
Summary: Following the defeat of the Ori, Daniel isn’t adjusting. Vala figures out a theory that may help him. Fluff and humor, Daniel/Vala, tiny hint of Sam/Jack


Title: The Rainbow Connection  
Category: Fluff  
Ship: Daniel/Vala, hints at Sam/Jack  
Warnings/Spoilers: None  
A/N: Thanks to mrspollifax for the quick glance insta-beta. This is for you, supplyship *hugs*

**The Rainbow Connection**

Daniel entered Vala's private quarters to find her lounged on her bed, bowl of popcorn beside her and something on the television frozen on pause.

"Vala, I thought you said you had a theory that you needed to urgently discuss."

"I do."

"Then why…?" he started to ask.

Even if it was just a ploy to pull him away from work and take a break, why was he fighting it? He'd spent over a decade defeating not one but two evil forces bent on ruling the galaxy through fear and enslavement. It had been months since the Ori were gone, and he seemed to be the only one at the SGC not adjusting. He continued to work late nights and long hours, as if nothing had changed.

"Come, sit down." She patted the space next to her on the bed.

"I thought you were hanging out with Teal'c tonight?"

"He got called away, to help his girlfriend move some stuff. A washer and dryer, I think?"

"You mean a friend that happens to be a girl, not a girlfriend."

"Do I?" She shimmied herself up the bed and leaned back against the pillows. "What makes you so sure?"

"Vala—" But he had to stop, because the "I don't really have time for this" part that had been so automatic for years now couldn't be used as an excuse anymore. He did have time for this. He had time for pretty much anything.

"Come on, darling." She gave him a smile. "Sit next to me and we'll watch a movie together snuggled under a blanket in the dark, and we'll eat popcorn, and I'll tell you all about my theory."

He sighed, remembering that the last time they watched a movie together, her hands had gotten a little too grabby. "You promise to behave yourself?"

"Oh, right, Daniel, like sitting next to you is all it takes for me to instantly become so overwhelmed that I can't control myself."

He got in next to her, and she grinned brightly, turned to switch off the lamp, and then picked up the remote and hit play.

Familiar faces appeared on screen, fuzzy ones from his childhood. "The Muppets?" Daniel asked, a little bemused.

"Have you seen this show before? Teal'c loaned me the tapes. It is by far the best thing your world offers in terms of entertainment."

"OK." He wasn't sure about that, but her happiness was starting to radiate. From day one, Vala had always been a gravitating force with no middle ground, either irritating him as no one else could, or doing the exact opposite as she was right now. He could feel the tension start to slip from the knot between his shoulders. As she laughed at Gonzo, the clouds in his mind lifted, and he let go a little.

"So," she said, "here's my theory."

"There's an actual theory?" Because he had been positive that part was a complete lie. When did he learn to accept it? When did he stop caring and simply start categorizing things she said as "this is Vala being silly" or "there is likely some form of truth in this and if I needle at it, I'll get what she's really after." And he was good at it. Stellar, actually, because these days Cam seemed to always turn to Daniel, expecting judgment.

"Yes, there is a theory. A good one." She ate a few bites of popcorn as the puppets onscreen finished the song and dance number and started talking instead. "See!" She pointed.

"What?"

"That's Bill Lee."

"Beaker?"

"No, the guy next to Beaker, the big round one with the glasses. What's his name?"

"I honestly don't remember," Daniel said. "I haven't seen this in years."

"The Eagle guy is completely Teal'c."

He was starting to see where this was going. He'd had an eerily similar conversation with Jack years ago, but that was the Simpsons, not the Muppets. And why did everyone insist on comparing the SGC and the people who work here to ridiculous kids shows?

"That's me."

"You're Miss Piggy?" he asked skeptically.

"Obviously. She's the one with great hair."

"Hmm." Daniel decided what the hell, might as well tease her a little. "I'm not so sure. I think Sam is Miss Piggy." After a second of actually thinking it through, he added, "They both have blonde hair and a thing for motorcycles."

"But then that would mean General O'Neill is Kermit, and that doesn't work."

"Really?" he asked, because it kind of did work in Daniel's estimation. "Maybe not so much with the singing."

"Or the banjo."

"Good point," he conceded.

"Wait until you see the 'Pigs in Space' part!"

So they sat watching The Muppets, and she tossed kernels of popcorn at him, and somewhere along the way his arm slipped around her shoulders. She curled up next to him while they laughed at Animal and argued about whether the rat character would be Thor. It felt good to do nothing more important than to debate her ridiculous theory. To let the galaxy be left on its own. To just stop and stay still for a while.


End file.
